What God Showed Me This Week - How to love one another

My Step with God
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What Bible verses are you studying?

And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1John4:21

This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. - John 15:12

In our small group this week we discussed how we can follow God’s command to love one another and we talked about how this plays out in the challenges of our everyday lives.

Then God put me in my very own unexpected challenging situation. My partner of 2 years and I had planned to spend Christmas with his son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren. It would be our first Christmas spent together and I was really looking forward to being a part of their family celebrations.
Then came the email from his daughter-in-law saying I was not welcome this year as she felt it was too soon to include me in their precious family time together. We were both stunned. My partner will be spending Christmas with his family but without me.

I’m feeling hurt, rejected, concerned for how this will affect our relationship in future, it feels unfair and unjustified.

I’ve been quite shocked by my far less than Christian thoughts - at times angry, bitter, resentful and even spiteful.

But when those thoughts come, I’ve also been drawn back to the passage we read this week, in particular 1 John 4v21

I’m grateful to God for this opportunity to practise love in this hurtful situation, to respond with kindness not resentment, to make it easy for my partner to enjoy his family time without feeling guilty.

Please pray for me to continue to show love to others as God loves me.

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Hi @theresa4,

Wow, that is very challenging. Thank you for sharing so we can surround you with encouragement and prayer.

I understand the feelings of being hurt, rejected, and afraid after getting a message that feels unfair and unjustified. All those perceptions and feelings make sense to me!

Wow. But choosing to respond in love? That is supernatural. May God give you deep, sustaining grace to attempt this each day.

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Oh Theresa that does sound so challenging! I am so sorry.

Navigating relational disappointment is one of the hardest things in loving one another. To try to remain others focused while acknowledging and processing your own pain and rejection is a difficult balance.

Your perspective is such a wonderful one. It is completely normal to have thoughts that are fleshly and not Christian, but your desire to redirect those thoughts toward love and kindness is evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

I would also encourage you to “cast all your cares on Christ because he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7). I am praying that he holds you close in this frustrating time and gives you power to show supernatural love to these family members.

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Thanks for the support @Carson and @Michaela Last week’s small group meeting was really the perfect preparation for this challenge.

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